Evidence to be presented to the Heydon Royal Commission by former CFMEU construction and general division NSW branch official Brian Fitzpatrick "reveals a troubling state of lawlessness" in the branch and the union that manifests in their preparedness to go to "war" against companies that incur their displeasure, according to its counsel assisting.
An investigation commissioned by CFMEU national secretary Michael O'Connor has cleared NSW construction and general division branch officials of going soft on building companies associated with Sydney business identity George Alex and of bullying two organisers who raised the allegations.
Boral chief executive Mike Kane has told the Heydon Royal Commission that his company is contemplating new legal action against its competitors, customers and the CFMEU under competition law, labelling them as conspirators in a union campaign to deprive it of its Melbourne market share after it refused to cut off supplies to Grocon.
The Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal, which has had an uncertain future since the Coalition won office last year, has announced an inquiry into the cash-in-transit industry.
The Heydon Royal Commission has raised the possibility that the CFMEU's bans on Boral concrete supplies might have contravened anti-cartel and blackmail laws, in addition to flouting secondary boycott provisions.
In a testy exchange with CFMEU barrister John Agius SC this morning, Royal Commissioner Dyson Heydon has ruled that airing a building company director's secret recording of a telephone call with a union organiser was not unlawful because it was in the public interest for it to be played.
The Heydon Royal Commission today denied leaking information to the media, after the CFMEU’s construction division complained about the emergence into the public arena of material that is expected to be aired at next week’s hearing into the union.
A senior TWU official has acknowledged spending only minimal time on the superannuation work his branch charged industry super fund TWUSUPER some $90,000 a year to perform, but the former head of the fund's trustee defended the arrangement before the Heydon Royal Commission today.
The Heydon Royal Commission will turn its sights on the CFMEU next week, moving to Melbourne for three days starting on Monday, followed by one day in Sydney on Friday.
The Northern Territory's CLP Government has asked Unions NT to relinquish a lease over a valuable property in the Darwin CBD after the completion of a hotly-contested inquiry.
